King Breaker (26 page)

Benowyth stopped weeping to watch him.

Emboldened, Cortomir fell over the wyvern’s tail.

The toddler chuckled.

Cortomir rolled to his feet and waved the shawl around in a flamboyant salute. The end of the shawl flew past Loyalty’s face and she snapped at it.

Benowyth laughed.

‘Ho! A game...’ Cortomir cast the toddler a quick look to make sure he was still watching, then flicked the shawl near Loyalty again. This time both beasts went for it.

With a yell of delight, Cortomir took off running around the chamber, leaping from chair to table, always just out of reach of the beasts. Lady Gennalla was not impressed, but young Benowyth chortled with glee as the Affinity beasts gave chase, clawed feet scrambling on the polished parquet floor.

The spar lad jumped over a table, then ran around the day-bed, past Lady Gennalla and her grandson, who struggled in his grandmother’s arms wanting to join in the fun.

Cortomir found himself trapped between the Affinity beasts and the table. It looked like he would have to give up the shawl. But he dived under the table, rolled out the far side and came up, waving the shawl like a trophy.

‘Oh, well done!’ Isolt clapped as the lad took off again.

Fyn glanced over to Sefarra. A reluctant smile tugged at her lips.

‘Watch out!’ Isolt cried.

Fyn was in time to see Loyalty take a corner too wide. Her tail toppled an exquisite Ostronite vase, which smashed to pieces.

Cortomir, Loyalty and Resolute all skidded to a halt.

‘I’m sorry,’ the lad said. ‘I didn’t mean—’

‘Doesn’t matter,’ Isolt said.

‘Doesn’t matter?’ Lady Gennalla shrieked. Benowyth’s bottom lip trembled. ‘That was a gift from the Ostronite elector. What’s he going to say?’

‘Nothing, because I will replace it,’ Isolt said quickly.

‘Clumsy beast!’ Lady Gennalla rounded on the wyvern.

Loyalty whimpered.

‘Wasn’t her fault,’ Cortomir stepped in front of the wyvern. ‘I got her overexcited.’

‘Stupid boy.’

‘Don’t pick on him, Mother,’ Sefarra said. ‘He was only trying to help.’

‘You...’ Lady Gennalla shook her head. ‘A moment ago, you couldn’t stand the sight of him. I swear I’ll never understand you. I used to wish you’d stop filling your head with useless history. Now, it doesn’t matter. You’ll never catch a husband—’ The noblewoman gasped and covered her mouth. ‘I’m sorry.’

Sefarra shrugged. ‘I don’t want a husband.’

‘Then devote yourself to Cyena Abbey.’

‘I don’t want to waste my life praying.’

‘It doesn’t matter what you want now. Have you no shame? No sense of family honour?’

Sefarra’s face hardened, and Fyn recognised the girl who’d taken her captor’s head and balls.

Lady Gennalla must have realised she would get no more from Sefarra, because she rounded on the wyvern. ‘Who keeps an Affinity beast this size for a pet? Today it was the vase, what will it be tomorrow? Both you girls need to grow up!’ And she stormed out, taking her frightened grandson with her.

Sefarra turned to Isolt. ‘I’m sorry. Mother doesn’t—’

‘No, she’s right. Loyalty is too big to be kept indoors. But I can hardly send her to the stables.’

‘She might eat the horses,’ Cortomir said.

All of them stared at him.

Cortomir shrugged. ‘Well, she might.’

Fyn tried not to smile.

‘I don’t care what anyone says. I’m not locking up Loyalty,’ Isolt said. The wyvern sought comfort and Isolt petted her. ‘She’s smart. It would break her heart if I had to shut her away.’

Sensing something was wrong, the foenix went to Fyn, who rubbed his throat. ‘They don’t belong in the palace. Resolute should be living high in the mountains. He should be spending his days flying and hunting. Loyalty would be happiest at sea, living in an eyrie.’

‘As you suggesting I turn them loose?’ Anger burned in Isolt’s cheeks.

‘No, but we need to find a better place for them. Back in Rolenhold, my grandfather had a courtyard converted into a menagerie.’

‘That’s it!’ Isolt’s face lit up. ‘The Grotto Garden! It was my favourite place when I first came here. Father couldn’t be bothered with me, and Mother faded away after losing three baby boys. I used to sneak away to the grotto.’

Fyn felt for the lonely child that Isolt had been. ‘Why don’t we go take a look right now?’

Isolt clicked her tongue and both Affinity beasts followed her. Sefarra and Cortomir fell into step behind them. Fyn wished, just once, that he could be alone with Isolt.

The young queen knew the palace better than him. She went down the corridor, through a linking verandah then into the next building.

‘It’s like a maze,’ Cortomir marvelled. ‘Are we still in the palace?’

Isolt laughed. ‘Every time a new king came to the throne, they set out to leave their mark on the palace. Some built towers, some built whole new wings, others refurbished old buildings or added conservatoriums. But there is only one Grotto Garden.’ She slowed and her eyes went very wide. ‘Built by the Mad Boy King!’

‘Was he angry-mad or crazy-mad?’ Cortomir asked.

‘Mad-lonely if you ask me,’ Fyn said.

Isolt met his eyes over the boy’s head and they shared a smile.

‘We’re going west,’ Cortomir announced.

‘How do you know? Fyn asked.

‘Each time I glimpse the Landlocked Sea, it’s on my right.’

‘Very clever,’ Sefarra said. She seemed to be warming to the lad.

‘This way.’ Isolt led them down some steps and into an older wing.

The chamber was full of outdated furniture. Ahead, a row of floor to ceiling glass doors opened onto a terrace. In the distance, Fyn could see the Landlocked Sea.

As they stepped out onto the terrace, Fyn saw that they were at one end of a long crescent of three-storey buildings. An ornate staircase led up to the first floor verandah, while wide steps led down from the terrace to a lawn embellished with a fountain, and beyond that was a high hedge. Presumably the grotto garden lay between this and the Landlocked Sea.

With a whoop, Cortomir and the Affinity beasts took off, down the shallow steps and across the formal lawn racing towards the hedge.

Sefarra frowned. ‘Should we stop them?’

‘Let them have their fun.’ Isolt smiled. ‘Come and see the grotto.’

Fyn followed Isolt and Sefarra down the steps.

‘I like this garden best,’ Isolt confided. ‘Everywhere else, there are formal terraces stepping down to the sea. Here, beyond the hedge, the gardens have grown wild.’

They followed an overgrown path that wove between blooming bushes and fruit trees, until they came upon a small lake which reflected the grotto like a mirror.

Sefarra gasped. ‘It’s lovely.’

‘It’s artificial, even the pond,’ Isolt revealed.

The grotto was built of white stone, artfully tumbled and then partially covered with earth and shrubbery so that it appeared to be part of the landscape. Two columns supported the grotto’s entrance and water lapped into the opening.

Isolt pointed. ‘The Mad Boy King used to lie in his boat and watch the stars here.’

‘My mother said that sometimes he slept in the grotto,’ Fyn added.

Loyalty frolicked in the water. Resolute stood in the shallows and cleaned his wings. Cortomir rolled up his breeches and paddled.

Sefarra turned in a circle. ‘Why have I never seen this before?’

Isolt laughed. ‘I’m sure there are chambers I’ve never seen, and I’ve lived here for seven years.’ Her eyes sparkled. ‘Wait till you see inside.’

She led them around the pond to the back of the mound that covered the grotto then dropped to her knees muttering, ‘There used to be a secret entrance. Ahh, the wild mint grew over it.’ Pushing the mint aside, she revealed an opening just large enough for an adult to crawl through. ‘Come on.’

Sefarra followed her, and Fyn came last. His knees and hands crushed the mint, so that he crawled through a dark, sweet smelling tunnel towards the glowing grotto.

‘It’s beautiful!’ Sefarra’s voice reached him.

Fyn climbed to his feet. Directly opposite him he could see through the columns, across to the sparkling water to the far bank.

The grotto’s white walls and domed ceiling reflected the rippling light from the pond. The water formed a shallow pool, which was just deep enough for a small boat to glide in and moor.

‘Where does...’ Sefarra held her hand out in a shaft of greenish light. She shaded her eyes and looked up. ‘Oh, I see. There’s odd-shaped pieces of glass set in the ceiling. What a clever idea.’

‘It used to be brighter,’ Isolt said. ‘But the grass must have grown over in places.’

‘I can fix that.’ Sefarra crawled out of the tunnel.

‘Oh, dear.’ Isolt caught Fyn’s eye. ‘You’d be surprised how hard it is to find the glass panels once you’re outside.’

Fyn stretched, his fingers just brushed the ceiling. ‘Reminds me of the grotto under Mage Island.’

Isolt smiled. ‘We were happy there.’

‘Yes.’ Back then, there had only been Piro to get in the way.

From the pond, they could hear the splash of the wyvern and Cortomir’s cries of encouragement. Fyn was suddenly aware that he was alone with Isolt. His gaze was drawn to her.

An inner radiance filled her eyes, and all sounds seemed to fade. He ached for her. Colour raced up her throat and across her cheeks. Abruptly, a beam of sunlight pierced the gloom, and they both looked up. Through the thick, grainy glass they could just make out Sefarra waving.

‘There you are!’ Cortomir swam into the grotto through the columns, riding on the wyvern’s back. His eyes widened. ‘This is amazing. Can I live here with the Affinity beasts? Can I?’

Loyalty climbed out of the pool, opened her wings and sprayed them all as she shook herself dry.

Isolt laughed. ‘This is the perfect den for an Affinity beast.’

‘Can I be Rhalwyn’s apprentice Affinity beast-keeper?’

Fyn thought it the perfect solution. ‘Of course you can, if the queen agrees.’

Cortomir turned pleading eyes to Isolt. Just then the foenix gave a mournful cry and Cortomir volunteered to lead her into the grotto.

‘An apprentice Affinity beast-keeper, Fyn?’ Isolt tilted her head. ‘You know Rhalwyn isn’t my official Affinity beast-keeper? He was just the cabin boy who fed Loyalty and Resolute while we were on the royal barge.’

‘Cortomir’s presence in the palace would be an unwelcome reminder of what his uncle did. Here he’ll be out of the way and gainfully employed. Besides, you have your duties to attend to, and Loyalty and Resolute need the company. Rhalwyn and Cortomir will have the easiest jobs in the palace.’

‘That’s true.’ Isolt nodded then smiled. ‘I guess we’d better tell Rhalwyn he’s been promoted.’

A moment later, Cortomir swam into the grotto with the foenix and they told him the good news.

Chapter Twenty-One

M
AGE
I
SLE WAS
just as Piro remembered, but without Isolt to keep her company, she was lonely and bored by the following morning. Little Ovido trotted along behind her as they explored the citrus courtyard with its mass of blossoms. Piro sneezed.

‘Are the wyvern and foenix coming back?’ Ovido asked hopefully.

‘No, I had to leave them with Isolt in Merofynia.’

‘Is it true you’re a kingsdaughter, too?’

‘Of course she is,’ Cragore said, with all the scorn of an older brother. ‘And she doesn’t want to be bothered by a silly six-year-old.’

‘Ovido can keep me company any time he likes,’ Piro said.

‘No, he can’t. Unlike you, kingsdaughter, he has work to do. Come along, brat.’

‘For your information, I
do
have work,’ Piro called after Cragore as he marched his little brother off. ‘I’m here to be trained by the mage.’ Which was all very well, but until Siordun came back, there was no one to teach her.

She glanced up to the tower, wishing Tsulamyth really did sleep in the top chamber. Last time she was here, she’d caught Siordun up there and unmasked his mage disguise. Which reminded her. The mage’s war-table was like no other—the pieces moved to reflect real world events. If she could not be with her family and friends, at least she could check on their whereabouts.

Darting inside, she made her way to the war chamber. The balcony looked out over the Ring Sea, but Piro had eyes only for the table.

Fyn and Isolt’s pieces were currently in Merofynia. Byren’s was on a ship nearing Rolencia, and Siordun’s was on a ship sailing for Merofynia. They were safe, or as safe as anyone could be.

She glanced to the little statuette standing on Mage Isle. Back when Siordun had first shown her the war-table, her piece had been without a face. Her stomach clenched and she experienced a moment’s disorientation as she picked up her own piece.

It still had no face.

Did this mean she would become the mage’s agent and control events from behind the scenes? Or did it mean she would die before she could find her place in the world?

Piro shivered.

Just then a ship passed by on the Ring Sea and she heard a male voice raised in song. Piro went out onto the balcony into the sunshine, and looked down onto the Ring Sea. As the vessel passed, the singer looked up, saw her there and tipped his cap to blow her a kiss. He made her smile. So many brightly painted boats dotted the vivid blue sea it looked like a festival. And across the Ring Sea she could make out white farmhouses dotting the steep slope of the outer island. Across the distance it was too hazy to tell, but she knew the terraces were covered with workers tending vines, orchards and vegetables. Everyone had a job to do. Everyone else’s lives had purpose, except hers.

A wave of impatience seized Piro. She felt power gather in her chest and slide down her arms until it settled in her hands. She needed to channel her Affinity but she couldn’t use the stone. She needed her foenix.

That reminded her. Last time she was here there had been a pica pair in the mage’s chamber at the top of the tower. She glanced up to Mage Tower, so white against the clear blue sky. A black dot swooped in to land on the top balcony.